Gen Z and millennials are moving to opposite corners of the American housing map
Two generations of Americans are reshaping domestic migration, but in strikingly different directions, according to a new report from Redfin, the real estate brokerage owned by Rocket.
The findings, drawn from 2024 domestic migration data, reveal a clean split between what Gen Z and millennial movers want. The younger cohort is gravitating toward career launch pads, while millennials in their 30s and early 40s are prioritizing affordability and physical space.
Where Gen Z is setting down roots
Texas dominated as a relocation destination for Gen Z movers in 2024. One Sun Belt metro posted a net inflow of more than 10,600 young adults, the highest of any city nationally.
Washington, D.C., Austin, Nashville and Dallas each claimed spots in the top five, drawing younger movers with entry-level job markets, walkable neighborhoods and cultural amenities.
"Gen Zers are chasing opportunity, while millennials are chasing space," said Sheharyar Bokhari, principal economist at Redfin.
"Younger adults are gravitating toward cities where they can launch careers and their social lives, while millennials are more focused on places where a paycheck stretches further and buying a home is attainable."
Read more: Here are the US housing markets Gen Z is flocking to
Most Gen Z moves are not cross-country jumps. The most common route in 2024 was Los Angeles to Riverside, California, with more than 10,200 movers making that short regional hop.
New York to Philadelphia and Los Angeles to San Diego ranked second and third. New York registered the largest Gen Z net outflow nationally at nearly 29,600, a reminder that even the country's largest job center loses its pull when housing costs reach extremes.
Top 5 migration routes for Gen Z
| # | Route | Net movers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles, CA → Riverside, CA | 10,261 |
| 2 | New York, NY → Philadelphia, PA | 9,284 |
| 3 | Los Angeles, CA → San Diego, CA | 9,237 |
| 4 | Minneapolis, MN → St. Cloud, MN | 8,239 |
| 5 | Riverside, CA → Los Angeles, CA | 8,101 |
Source: Redfin, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 1-year microdata, 2024
Top 5 migration routes for millennials
| # | Route | Net movers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles, CA → Riverside, CA | 19,983 |
| 2 | Washington, DC → Baltimore, MD | 11,343 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA → San Francisco, CA | 11,302 |
| 4 | Riverside, CA → Los Angeles, CA | 10,073 |
| 5 | New York, NY → Philadelphia, PA | 8,518 |
Source: Redfin, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 1-year microdata, 2024
The LA–Riverside corridor is the most common route for both generations — but millennials made that move at nearly twice the rate of Gen Z (19,983 vs. 10,261 movers in 2024). Both generations are reshuffling within existing regions rather than making cross-country jumps.
Millennials move for price, not prestige
For millennials, affordability is the primary driver. Houston logged the highest millennial net inflow of any metro nationally, drawing more than 16,300 net arrivals, followed by Dallas, Baltimore, Las Vegas and Atlanta.
All five markets carry a median home-sale price below $450,000, a clear gravitational threshold for buyers seeking space without sacrificing employment access, according to the Redfin report.
The trend echoes what brokers have observed firsthand. Earlier Mortgage Professional America coverage of millennials fleeing mounting affordability pressures in large cities found the cohort increasingly pragmatic about location.
Mark Worthington, a branch manager at Churchill Mortgage in the US, previously told Mortgage Professional America that millennial buyers are being "extremely cautious," a disposition now shaping which cities they pursue, not just which properties.
New York is losing millennials faster than any other metro, with a net outflow of nearly 42,700. Los Angeles, Miami and San Francisco round out the top departure markets.
The generational contrast is starkest in Washington, D.C.: the nation's capital ranks as the second-most popular destination for Gen Z movers, and among the metros millennials are leaving fastest.
The overall rate of major relocation among young adults has eased over the past decade. Roughly 14% of 19-to-24-year-olds moved out of their metro area in 2024, down from about 15% in 2014.
Among 25-to-34-year-olds, the share fell from approximately 11% to 9% over the same period. Redfin attributes part of that slowdown to remote work, which has enabled career advancement without a change of address.
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